Opening the door, Sunless saw the long Lost Princess of Song. Seishan, his older sister.
She was as beautiful as the day she left. Her gray skin is still as striking as ever. A red dress wrapping around her slender body.
"Long time no see sis."
She turned her head to see him, a smiled appeared on her breathtaking face.
'Gods… Please tell me she didn't get a boyfriend in this place… I would hate to break her heart by killing him.'
"Sunny… It sure has."
He closed the door while she approached him.
They embraced each other in a tight hug, which took a long time, trying to make up for seven years apart.
Eventually, they parted and looked at each other.
Seishan was the first to break the silence.
"You've grown taller."
He chuckled.
"And you didn't change at all."
Her smile grew wider.
"Come, sit down, we have to catch up."
They both sat at the couch located at the center of the room. It was a big room, comparable to one of the Jade Palace, different from all the other places in the castle, it was completely clean.
"I couldn't believe it was you when I saw… I thought I was in a mind-hex for a moment. For you to come here, and two months after the Winter Solstice for that matter… Did you pass the whole labyrinth?"
"A good part of it, yes, I ended up on the other side of the Zone."
She stared at him, happiness plastered on her face, but her smile faltered. And worries replace it.
"You don't look surprised to see me, even if Nix told you our code…"
Sunny's smile turned sad.
"I already knew I was going to meet you here, Hel saw it through a vision."
Understanding crossed her face.
"I see. It must have been hard."
"Not as much as you would expect, it did help me discover somethings, and I'm glad to see you again."
He raised his hand to touch her shoulder and give a reassuring smile but she got up and walked some steps.
"Don't give me that. You are stuck in this godforsaken place. Nothing can alleviate that."
"Shan…"
"No matter what I do, I can't even hope to escape, a Fallen Terror is blocking the gateway, together with hundreds, or even thousands of nightmare creatures. The only thing we can do is try to survive…"
"Is that why you serve Gunlaug? You gave up?"
She looked at Sunny almost offended.
"You dare say that? No, I serve him because he controls this place… Even if I wanted to challenge the crimson spire, he won't let it."
He stood up and walked to her.
"Yes, I dare, my sister Isn't one to give up, and why can't you?"
Seishan looked down, avoiding his gaze, and closed her eyes.
"He has a Transcendent Echo as armor. Even if it breaks, it quickly tries to repair, any damage is useless. It even creates weapons for him to use… No matter what plan I come up with, I can't defeat him…"
It seemed like Seishan expected Sunny to feel discouraged, instead, he put his hand on his chin and started to think.
"I get it, the only way to defeat the crimson spire is to get all the sleepers together. So him being strong enough to deny that is concerning."
Seishan widened her eyes, and looked at him with non-disclosed surprise.
"A Transcendent Echo… It's a problem, but I think I can work around that if…"
"Sunny…"
"Hum? What?"
"How are you so… Calm?"
Sunny stopped his line of thinking and realized. Seishan had already tried, she searched for a way out, a way to challenge Gunlaug. But she couldn't, seven years stuck in the Forgotten Shore must have destroyed her…
But now, he was here, he and two other sleepers that carried more lineages of the Divine, along with so much more…
"Because I have something even the Sovereigns don't have… Something that makes a Transcendent Echo seem meaningless.
A Divine Aspect."
Seishan stood motionless. Surprised, to be sure.
"I can tell you everything, but that will take a long time. I have a True Name, I need you–"
"Wait, wait, wait! Calm down, you got a True Name in the First Nightmare? And a Divine Aspect?"
"Yeah."
He said it like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Sunny, I swear, if this is a joke, it's not funny!"
"My True Name is Hollow Death."
She gave him a questioning look.
"Hollow Death?"
Sunny felt it again, the feeling, the will of connection asking permission, and once again he let it.
The warmth returned, this time he felt truly complete… Yet he still yearned for more, like a force wanting more and more connections…
But that didn't matter, what mattered now was Seishan.
[The Blood Connection] had appeared, right beside [The Darkness Connection]. Showing all of Seishan's runes.
The woman stared at him, then at the air, seemingly looking at the runes.
"By… The God's…"
Her face was the definition of bewilderment, it was the first time he saw her make that face.
He wished he could take a picture and show it to the rest of his sisters, he could bet Revel would get a good laugh.
"You… Weren't lying… True Name…Divine Aspect… Monster core?!... Shadow God's lineage?!.... You can't lie?!?"
"Yeah… All of that is true…"
He looked back at him, and he could see in her eyes… Hope, to escape this place. Then, she smiled, a mysterious smile, a smile that she had when she was making a plan.
He smiled, happy to see his old sister coming back.
—
They reminisced about the past, their time together and with their sisters.
Sunny began to talk about how all of them are, how all of their sisters are Saints with True Names. Embarrassing stories…
How Veil ended up soaked on a ball. Rev being a shut in despite becoming the strongest of them all. Hel being… Hel. Silent and her new name. And much more.
Seishan also talked about how the castle worked, Gunlaug, his lieutenants and abilities… And her life here.
Eventually, Seishan asked about his journey…
Sunny told her all his journey through the Forgotten Shore and his companions, Nephis and Cassie.
He didn't mention Weaver's lineage, or the fact that Fate changed thanks to their mother, that… Wasn't something he wanted to burden her with.
—
"You… Are you traveling with the girl that wants our mother dead?"
"... I'm trying to change her mind…"
Seishan gritted her teeth, it didn't look like she was comfortable with that, Sunny thought of how she would react, if she would be angry or bothered…
But she just sighed.
"Don't rely on her, she may as well just use you to get closer to mother... On the other hand, you got enthralled by a tree."
He gave an annoyed expression.
"Really? You too?"
"Yes, and I'm not letting you forget that."
Both laughed, feeling like siblings again.
He then noticed the light of the sun rising, piecing the windows.
"I didn't notice so much time had passed."
Seishan rested her head on her hand thinking deeply.
"You could stay in the castle, you know?"
"Yes, but Nephis has some sort of plan on the outer settlement, I want to know what she's going to do. And I don't want to be seen with you. Not yet at least."
He sat up.
"I understand, I'll keep in touch through Nix, she's the handmaiden who brought you here.
Just one more thing."
Seishan went to a separate room and returned with a bag, giving it to Sunny.
"Here, there's a shop of memories here, you will find an armor that everyone deems as useless, but you can use it thanks to that Serpent of yours."
Sunny opened the bag to find 25 soul shards, all in good condition.
"Shan… You don't-"
She interrupted her with a smile and a finger to his lips.
"You need it more than I do, besides, I already have about ten of those, and I go hunting every week."
Her brother smiled.
"You are always prepared, aren't you?"
"Of course, and remember, we still have much to talk about. I want to know how everyone is."
"Sure, I'll tell you the time Howl stole Revel's novel."
Seishan tried really hard not to laugh and tapped his shoulder.
"You are going to kill me with expectation!"
He gave her a devilish smile.
"I'm not going to kill you… Just annoy you."
With that, he went to the door and grabbed the handle.
"Thanks sis."
She smiled widely.
"Anytime, little brother."
He smiled back, getting out of the room and disappeared into the shadows.
Seishan sighed, then smiled, it was finally time. With her brother and the heir of the Immortal Flame here, they could return home.
But still, she needed to be watchful, Nephis might be a powerful ally, but what she wants… If she hates Seishan's family…
Seishan eyes lit up in a red glow.
'If you hurt Sunny… I don't care to stay in this Hell for eternity…'
She sighed, her eyes returning to normal.
'But if she doesn't… If she really is an ally… Then we may get out of here…'
Her gaze reached Sunny's runes, being able to see them thanks to their new connection. She looked at his memory, [BloodRaven] obviously the weapon Undying Blade made to him.
Then she looked at her own weapon gifted to her. [Blood Queen].
She needed to come back. And Changing Star and Hollow Death were the way to do it.
All she needed to do was support them from the inside.
"Time to plan a coup."